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JANUARY 10-16, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 10 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858
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PH orders Filipinos in 3 Middle East countries to leave amid US-Iran tension by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE Philippine government is ordering thousands of Filipino workers to evacuate Iraq, Iran and Lebanon as the situation between the United States and Iran continues to escalate. The alert level in Iraq has been raised to the highest level, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), which directs Filipino overseas workers to leave the country due to
DATELINE
heightened security risks. “As a result of the government’s coordination meetings on the situation in the Middle East in the past few days, the Alert Level in the entire Iraq has been raised to Alert Level 4 calling for mandatory evacuation,” said Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ed Meñez on Wednesday, January 8. Alert Level 4 is issued “when there is large-scale internal conflict or full-blown external attack,” according to the DFA.
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Filipinos in US urged to register for 2022 PH nat’l elections
THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through its foreign service posts, is beginning to remind all Filipino citizens overseas to register now as overseas voters for the 2022 Philippine National Elections. What you need to register: • An accomplished and signed application form (check the website of your local Philippine Embassy or Consulate General); • A valid Philippine Passport; • If you don’t have a valid passport, submit your NSO birth certificate and a valid Green Card (original and photocopy for both); • If you are a Seafarer: a photocopy of your Seaman’s Book or any other document that will prove that you are a seafarer should also be submitted in addition to “1” and “2” above; and, • If you are a Dual Citizen: please submit your Dual Citizenship certificate (original and photo-
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Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello added that Filipinos should also move out of Iran and Lebanon, as the government has banned the deployment of more workers to those countries. There are 1,190 documented and 450 undocumented Filipino workers in Iraq, more than 30,000 in Lebanon, and less than 1,200 in Iran, according to DFA data. (However, there have been some conflicting
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TRASLACION 2020. A huge number of devotees follow the carriage bearing the image of the Black Nazarene as it crosses the Ayala Bridge on Thursday, January 9. Police personnel secures the front portion of the carriage as devotees are only allowed to climb its back portion. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
US Senate passes resolution urging Following drug war report, Duterte calls Robredo a ‘colossal blunder’ sanctions on De Lima jailers by FRANCO LUNA Philstar.com
The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution condemning the continued detention of Sen. Leila De Lima and that also calls on U.S. President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on government officials linked to her arrest and detention. Senate Resolution 142, entitled “A resolution condemning the Government of the Philippines for its continued detention of Senator Leila De Lima, calling for her immediate release,
and for other purposes” was submitted by Senator Ed Markey in April 2019 and was passed “with an amendment and an amended preamble by Voice Vote,” according the website of the U.S. Senate. Invoking the Global Magnitsky Act, the resolution also calls for sanctions for “members of the security forces and officials of the Government of the Philippines responsible for extrajudicial killings” and calls for the Philippine government to free De Lima from what
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by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, January 7 dismissed Vice President Leni Robredo’s published report that called the administration’s three-year war against illegal drugs a “massive failure.” This comes after the vice president on Monday released her long-awaited report on the situation of the anti-drug campaign based on her 18-day
stint as the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs co-chair. “For all of these years she has done nothing. She is a colossal blunder. Colossal blunder,” Duterte told reporters at Malacañang, urging her to look at her “record” for the past three years in office. Of the report, he said, “She can’t lecture me on what to do. She has been there how many days? Seventeen or 18 days.”
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It’s final: SC junks petition for same-sex marriage by EVELYN
MACAIRAN Philstar.com
In a two-page notice issued by the SC last Dec. 10 and made available on Monday, January 6, the SC denied “with finality the said motion for reconsideration as no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned decision.” Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman
MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has junked with finality the petition seeking to legalize same-sex marriage in the Philippines. In a two-page notice issued by the SC last Dec. 10 and made available on Monday, January 6, the SC
denied “with finality the said motion for reconsideration as no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned decision.” In October 2015, Jesus Nicardo Falcis III, an openly gay lawyer, filed the petition that sought to strike down the prohibitions against same-sex marriage under
the Family Code. The SC unanimously found the lawyer’s petition deficient in September last year, citing his lack of legal standing, violation of the principle of hierarchy of courts and failure to raise an actual, justiciable controversy. Falcis filed a Motion for
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From the Front Page
US Senate passes resolution urging...
PAGE 1 the Senate recognized as “a wrongful detention.” Simple resolutions express the sense of a chamber of Congress. They do not require the president’s signature and do not have the force of law. Included in the language of the resolution is a provision calling “on the President of the United States to impose sanctions pursuant to the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act” on “members of the security forces and officials of the Government of the Philippines responsible for extrajudicial killings and... officials of the Government of the Philippines responsible for orchestrating the arrest and prolonged detention of Senator De Lima.” The Global Magnitsky Act gives the U.S. executive branch the authority to impose travel restrictions and financial penalties on those deemed to be human rights violators anywhere in the world. The penalties called for in the resolution include the barring of entry and the freezing of assets of De Lima’s detainers.
The U.S. Senate is also calling on the executive branch to make sure that assistance provided to the Philippine National Police “is fully consistent with the human rights conditions mandated” in the U.S. Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The U.S. Senate, in its resolution, also urges the Phiippine government “to recognize the importance of human rights defenders and their work and allow them to operate freely without fear of reprisal” and “to guarantee the right to the freedom of the press, and to drop all the charges against Maria Ressa and Rappler.” The government has treated similar calls as a form of meddling in Philippine affairs and says these are based on political propaganda against the Duterte administration. Sotto: Seems like a Bill of Attainder Reacting to the resolution’s passage on Thursday evening, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said, “I’d like to think [members of the U.S. Senate] are misinformed because it’s an affront to our Justice System.
It appears to be a violation of their Constitution regarding the Bill of Attainder.” A bill of attainder is a legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without a trial. Article I, Section 9, paragraph 3 of the Constitution of the United States holds that “No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law will be passed.” U.S. jurisprudence holds that the clause “was intended not as a narrow, technical (and therefore soon to be outmoded) prohibition, but rather as an implementation of the separation of powers, a general safeguard against legislative exercise of the judicial function or more simply — trial by legislature.” Reacting to a provision attached to the U.S. budget law for 2020 that also mentioned De Lima and that banned her jailers from entering the United States, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said that the U.S. government, particularly its State department, has a procedure to follow on determining who to ban from the U.S. n
SECURITY MEETING. President Rodrigo Duterte presides over the Joint Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine National Police (AFP-PNP) Command Conference at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, January 7. During the meeting Duterte said that the priority of the government is to evacuate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Iran, Iraq and other neighboring countries if a regional conflict becomes imminent. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez
PH orders Filipinos in... PAGE 1 reports as to how many Filipinos are working in Iraq as other government officials have cited up to 4,204 Filipinos.) The department also released an advisory on its website urging Filipino communities in Saudi Arabia to be vigilant against potential security threats, observe security measures and protocols established by the Saudi government, and abide by the laws, rules, and regulations of the country. Overall, there are around 2.3 million Filipinos working in various jobs, such as domestic care, construction, and nursing throughout the Middle East. Bello assured that the government is making arrangements to help Filipinos return to the Philippines, whether through getting necessary travel docu-
ments or financial assistance. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration also plans to give livelihood assistance upon their repatriation back to the home country, while the Labor Department is talking to China, Japan, Russia, Canada and Germany for the reassignment of Filipino workers, Bello said. Malacañang on Tuesday, January 7 announced that President Rodrigo Duterte will side with the U.S. in the event that Iran “intentionally” attacks Filipino workers in the Middle East. “Hindi tayo magiging (We will not be) neutral. The president was very specific in saying last night that if the Filipinos are harmed, he will side with the Americans,” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a press briefing.
PAGE 1 copy) in addition to “1” and “2” above. The registration period will end on 30 September 2021. Personal appearance is required, since the registrant will need to provide biometrics. Frequently asked questions include: 1. I already registered as an overseas voter years ago. Do I need to register again?That depends if you voted! If you have voted in the 2016 and/or 2019 National Elections, then you are still registered.However, if you failed to vote in two consecutive elections(2016 and 2019 elections), then COMELEC would have deactivatedyour registration record. The list is alphabetical by surname, so scroll down to search
for your last name (or press CTRL F to search if you are using a computer). If your name appears in the list, then you will need to apply for reactivation at the Consulate. Please bring the same documents stated above. 2. Do I need to register to vote? Yes! Filipino citizens need to register in order to vote. This is to protect the integrity of the election process. If you are not registered, then you must register within the registration period in order to receive a ballot. 3. If I fail to register during the registration period, can’t I just take someone else’s ballot? No, because that will deprive that person of their opportuni-
He added, “If they will harm the Filipinos, then the president will not sit down idly and watch.” On Monday, the president said that he sent a special envoy to Tehran and Baghdad to get reports that Filipinos would have a safe way out in the event of an evacuation. “We have so many Filipinos working mainly in the Middle East. I am nervous. Iran seems to be hell-bent on a retaliation, which I think will come,” Duterte said in his speech. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran rose after top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed Friday, January 3 in a drone strike carried out by the U.S. in Baghdad, Iraq. Iran, for its part, vowed to strike back following Soleimani’s death. n
Filipinos in US urged to register for 2022... ty to vote. There is only one (1) ballot allocated for every registered voter’s name. 4. When is the next election?The next election is on May 9, 2022. 5. What positions will be on the 2019 election ballot? In the 2022 National Election, registered voters will be able to vote for President, Vice President, Senators and Party List Representatives. 6. I’m still confused! Who can I ask? You can contact your local Philippine Embassy or Consulate General. If sending an email, please don’t forget to include your full name, mobile number, and email address. Include as many details as possible regarding your question. n
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 10-16, 2020
january 10-16, 2020 • nEW yOrK anD nEW jErSEy aSIan jOurnaL
Americans in PH safe despite threats, tension from Middle East by Consuelo
Dateline USa
http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426
Marquez
Inquirer.net
PHILIPPINE Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday, January 8, assured the public that American nationals are safe in the Philippines despite escalating tensions between the Middle East and the United States. “Magkakaroon yan ng escalation (There will be an escalation). Ang sabi ng Iranian government (The Iranian government said) they will do a counteraction and will strike U.S. nationals assets. Anywhere, everywhere so pwedeng even American nationals in our country pwedeng maging target ‘yan (they can be a target),” Año said in a press briefing at Camp Crame. “So mag-profiling kami dito na kung [anong] pwedeng mangyari dito (so we will look into possible threats that could happen here) but really the action is more on in the Middle East particularly Iraq and Iran,”
Philippine Interior Secretary Eduardo Año
Año added. Año, who is a retired Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, said profiling meant they will monitor areas and people of interest in the Philippines amid tensions in the Middle East. Asked if the government can protect U.S. nationals in the Philippines, Año said: “We can secure the areas where Americans are frequenting. Security for the individual is a case to case basis.”
ManilaTimes.net photo
SoCal Filipina registered nurse helps bargain first contract with nurses union Registered nurses at Methodist Hospital ratify historic first contract that sets nurses workplace protections in stone
Following drug war report, Duterte calls Robredo a... PAGE 1 In her 40-page report, the vice president claimed that the administration has barely scratched the surface of the Philippines’ drug problem despite all the money and resources put toward the campaign. She was fired by Duterte from her ICAD post last year for several reasons, including the lack of trust and for allegedly consulting foreign groups about the situation. “Through the presentation of the findings and recommendations contained in this report, the hope is for our focus to be directed to the true and common enemy: the continued proliferation of illegal drugs that destroys the lives and futures of many Filipino families,” Robredo said. If the drug war were an exam, the administration would have scored poorly at 1/100 as only 1% of the total shabu circulating in the country has been recovered between 2017 and 2018, according to the report. “Supply constriction, as an aspect of the overall strategy against illegal drugs, has been a massive failure,” it added. Citing data from the Drug Enforcement Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP), drug users consume 3,000 kilograms of shabu per week or
156,000 kilograms per year. However, Robredo pointed out that the same data revealed the government only managed to seize 1,344.87 kilograms in 2019, 785.31 kilograms in 2018, and 1,053.91 kilograms in 2017. “PDEA [Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency] only recovered up to 1% of the total shabu supply in the past three years. That amount of drugs is worth billions of pesos,” she noted. In a press conference on Monday, Robredo suggested that the campaign focus should be on bigger drug trade players instead of the everyday user. “If we really want to end the scourge of illegal drugs, we need to run after the big suppliers and not just the smalltime pushers,” she said. Furthermore, the report founded that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) was only able to recover P1.4 billion of drug assets. “Three kilograms of shabu (is) worth P25 billion per week, which means P1.3 trillion of shabu are being distributed around the country, but only P1.4 billion was restricted by AMLC, not even 1% of all the money that is revolving in the drug trade,” Robredo said. She called for a “change in strategy,” which included
LOW CARBON TRANSPORT SYSTEM. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines Deputy Resident Representative
Año also noted that the “ac- Ernesto Gaveglia delivers his message during the “Transport Forum 2020” conducted by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) held tion is more in the Middle East,” at Novotel in Quezon City on Tuesday, January 7. The UNDP and DOTr are jointly promoting the low carbon urban transport system to especially in Iraq and Iran. significantly reduce pollutants by embracing environmentally-friendly mass transport system. PNA photo by Oliver Marquez He also cited U.S. President Donald Trump’s promise to target 52 sites in Iran if the latter tries to attack Americans held hostage at U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Previously, the Iranian government also vowed revenge against the U.S. after the latter launched attacks in Iraq that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, by Klarize Medenilla a top Iranian general. n with a small group of about how we deliver safe and qual-
stopping Oplan Tokhang and releasing a new policy that has clearer objectives and operational guidelines to avoid the abuses associated with the campaign campaign. Data from the Philippine National Police and PDEA released in December found that an estimated 5,552 people had been killed during government operations between July 1, 2016, and November 30, 2019. However, human rights groups have pegged the death toll to around 27,000 as of last June. The vice president also suggested transferring the chairmanship of the ICAD to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), which would be “better equipped to plan an overall program.” Duterte created the ICAD in 2017 under the chairmanship of the PDEA to lead the “effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of high-value drug personalities down to the street-level peddlers and users.” “It (drug war) is a failure, there are so many aspects, and like what we said in the report, there is too much focus in the street level. Even if we do this every day and if we do not pay attention to supply constriction, then the problem would not end,” Robredo said. n
AJPress
LAST month, registered nurses at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, California ratified their first-ever contract with the state’s largest nurses union to ensure fair and safe working conditions and transparency between nurses and administrative staff. Methodist Hospital’s historic contract comes after nearly a year of bargaining between hospital administrators and the 650 registered nurses, the California Nurses Association (CNA)/National Nurses United (NNU) said in a release. The nurses won the right to organize on Nov. 13. 2018 when they “overwhelmingly” voted in favor of joining the CNA/NNU and became the largest group of “non-union nurses in Southern California to join a union in at least five years,” according to the CNA/ NNU. The effort to unionize began
five nurses who reached out to CNA/NNU more nurses to rally behind the common cause of ensuring quality patient care through safe workplace regulations and practices, according to Shelly Perks, a Filipina registered nurse at the Methodist Hospital ICU who was a key member in the year-long bargaining process. Perks noted that hospital management had been ignoring the nurses’ demands for a more equitable, safe workplace, which resulted in many experienced nurses leaving the hospital. “It really pushed the nurses to finally organize for the fact that management wasn’t listening to the nurses anymore when it comes to implementing plans that impact patient care. We didn’t have a voice anymore and we were losing skilled nurses and that significantly created an impact on
ity patient care,” Perks told the Asian Journal in a phone interview. “We had lost a lot of great mentors, and these were nurses who have been there for a long time who committed their time and effort in working for the hospital and mentoring new nurses,” Perks added. Staff recruitment and retention were among the most pressing concerns for the Methodist Hospital nurses, but they also made sure, during the bargaining process, to implement safe workplace provisions. One of those provisions included safe “floating” practices. Floating is a management technique that reassigns nurses to other units of the hospital floor. Managers will assign nurses to “float” to another unit in order to cover for an area of the hospital that PAGE 7
It’s final: SC junks petition for same-sex...
PAGE 1 Partial Reconsideration dated Nov. 14, 2019. “No further pleadings or motions will be entertained,” said SC Clerk of Court Edgar Aricheta. During oral arguments on the violation of the hierarchy of courts, the SC cited how United States activists followed the hierarchy of courts before reaching the high court, where they
won the same-sex marriage case. While the SC recognized the struggles of the LGBT community, the high court decided that Congress should address matters on same-sex partnerships. The junking came despite the Court’s acknowledgement that the 1987 Constitution does not define or restrict marriage on the basis of sex, gender,
sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. The SC, through Associate Justice Marvic Leonen who penned the decision, had said “same-sex couples may morally claim that they have a right against discrimination for their choice of relationships and that official recognition of their partnerships may, for now, be a matter that should be addressed to Congress.” n
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OPINION
FEATURES
Ready for evacuation THERE are anti-war protests in the United States, but no one can say if U.S. President Donald Trump is merely mouthing rhetoric when he threatens to launch airstrikes on 52 sites in Iran. Trump issued the threat over the weekend, saying the attacks would be launched if Iran retaliated for the killing of its top military commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in a U.S. airstrike in Iraq. While U.S.-led economic sanctions have curtailed Iran’s crude oil sales to the world, the fresh tensions could put a strain on oil production elsewhere in the Middle East, tightening global supply and raising prices. The tension is escalating at the same time that fuel excise taxes in the Philippines have increased under the tax reform package, guaranteeing higher pump prices. Another cause for concern is the plight of the millions of Filipinos working in the Middle East. There are only about 1,000 Filipinos registered to be living in Iran, and around 10,000 working in Iraq where Soleimani was killed. But armed conflict in one country in the re-
5
gion can spread to neighboring states, affecting the personal safety and jobs of an estimated 2.5 million overseas Filipino workers. OFWs in the Middle East have enough problems without the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Filipinos are still mourning the brutal killing of domestic worker Jeanelyn Villavende allegedly by her female employer in Kuwait. The Philippine government must mobilize its missions in the region to assist OFWs who want to get out of harm’s way in case armed conflict escalates. It won’t be the first time that OFWs would be evacuated from the volatile region. Similar operations were undertaken during the Gulf War as well as the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq following the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001. Filipinos have also been evacuated at certain times from Libya and Syria. There is no reason for the Philippines to be unprepared for evacuation and repatriation in the latest conflict in Iran and Iraq. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Navigating the new year and Duterte drops US visit as visa row heats up new decade: A day at a time Onmovethe
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are just starting the new year 2020 and the new decade, and yet we already feel the heavyweight of what is going on in our life, in our country, in our world. Maybe you are battling sickness, or are mourning the death of someone dear to you. Perhaps you have a child who is off course, a marriage that is not working, have lost a loved one, or feel betrayed. Possibly you did not get the break or the promotion you
were expecting, or have lost your job and wonder how you can support your self and your family who depend on you. Or maybe you have been waiting for so long to be reunited with your family in the Philippines, but the current immigration system has made that dream so elusive. And then your heart bleeds when you see young men and women being sent to harms way, especially if your son or daughter among them, for a war that you could not make sense of, and yet you see some leaders of the world using the
lives of people as pawns to satisfy their political and personal interests and wonder how they even got elected to make such consequential decisions that affect the lives of families all over the world. Your gut hurts when seeing pictures of the inferno ravaging states in Australia, burning millions of hectares of land, destroying thousands of homes, killing people, and extinguishing the lives of helpless animals like kangaroos and koalas. You hear about the hurricanes, typhoons, floodings, PAGE 10
SEGUNDO ECLAR ROMERO AMERICAN writer Stewart Brand tells us: “This present moment used to be the unimaginable future.” We have ushered in the year 2020 and the Filipinos’ sense of control over their collective future remains as nebulous as ever. Individuals and families do try to discern their alternative futures, “back-casting” from career and lifetime goals to the present, identifying those criti-
cal milestones and tasks they need to undertake to achieve their preferred future. But Filipinos in collectives — neighborhoods, villages, communities, barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, agencies, departments — do not make any serious attempts to map their futures in a similar manner. Without an image of a collectively aspired-for future, there is hardly any motivation and systemic process for strategic thinking and purposive implementation. The year 2020 is as good a year as any for individuals and organizations in positions of leadership and in control of critical resources to attempt the conjuring of collective visions.
A good handle is to think of this engagement as “community future problem-solving.” Filipinos have taken to social media to try to participate in national future community problemsolving (West Philippine Sea, China, water and rice crises, natural and man-made calamities, graft and corruption, drugs and crime), but have not habitually initiated or engaged any such problem-solving at their community or barangay level. Why they have to do so is clear — future problem-solving at the national level is seldom fully understandable and directly actionable by citizens. Local community problemsolving (bottom-up-budgetPAGE 10
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 10-16, 2020
Dateline PhiliPPines
Marcos asks PET to review poll protest results anew 5 Pinoys lose homes in Australian bushfires by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
FORMER Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to re-examine the initial vote recount results in the electoral protest he filed against Vice President Leni Robredo. In a 809-page memorandum filed before the tribunal on December 19, 2019 and released to reporters on Tuesday, January 7, Marcos asked the PET “to reconsider, review and reexamine the preliminary appreciation in the pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental.” In October, the PET announced Robredo widened her lead over Marcos in the recount of votes in the three pilot provinces, showing Robredo with 1,510,178 votes now compared to her 1,493,517 votes in the chosen areas previously. With the additional 15,093 votes from the recount, Robredo maintained her lead over Marcos with 278,566 votes. The defeated vice presidential bet asked the PET to “proceed with the Third Cause of Action notwithstanding the pendency of the resolution on the Second Cause of Action,” as well as to order handwriting experts from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to conduct a technical examination of the voters’ signatures
by Pia
lee-BRago Philstar.com
Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
appearing on the Election Day Computerized Voter’s List (EDCVL), according to a report by the Philippine Star. In addition, he asked the tribunal to “conduct another preliminary conference for the Third Cause of Action and thereafter to proceed with the presentation of evidence.” Marcos, in his second cause of action, is asking the PET to recount the votes in 36,465 clustered precincts covering 27 provinces in the country, while in his third cause of action he is seeking to nullify the votes of three Mindanao provinces. The third cause of action is separate and distinct from the Second Cause of Action, which means the dismissal of one cause of action “shall not affect the others,” according to Marcos.
ManilaTimes.net photo
“On the contrary, since the Third Cause of Action for the annulment of the election results is a separate, distinct and independent cause of action, the same can and must proceed independently of the result from the recount, revision and re-appreciation of ballots,” his camp said. Meanwhile, Robredo filed her own memorandum asking the PET to dismiss the election protest filed by Marcos after failing to present any substantial recovery in the three pilot provinces. “With the failure of protestant Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to show any substantial recovery in his pilot provinces, the election protest should be immediately dismissed,” Robredo’s lawyer Romulo Macalintal said. n
SoCal Filipina registered nurse helps... PAGE 4 may be understaffed. While it can benefit a meager hospital staff, it may put a strain on many nurses who already work long hours in their assigned areas. The Methodist Hospital nurses contract affirms that nurses are not assigned to units that exist outside their expertise and “need to have the competency to be able to work in units that may have the same competency requirements for nurses, and we wanted to stay true to that to maintain safe and quality patient care that all patients rightfully deserve,” Perks explained. The agreement also established a Professional Performance Committee (PPC), a board of about eight elected leaders within the nursing pool designed to address issues like staffing and patient safety.
“We are so proud to welcome these 650 Methodist Hospital registered nurses to the California Nurses Association. We know that advocating for patient care is one of the core functions of nursing, and we know with union protections nurses feel safer speaking out on behalf of their patients,” Malinda Markowitz, a registered nurse and co-president of CNA/NNU. For Perks, the contract is a huge win for nurses. She acknowledged that there “is always room for improvement” but that the nurses would not have “settled” on a contract if they didn’t receive all the provisions for which they asked. But the win is also a win for the Filipino American community who famously have among the strongest nursing blocs in California. Perks noted the overwhelming amount of Filipino nurses in, not just Method-
ist Hospital, but in hospitals around the country; so, this first contract is a personal accomplishment for her as well as a collective goal among her colleagues. “Everywhere you look, you look forward, you look backward, you look sideways, you look at the schedules and you see Filipino names. It’s what we’re known for right? Tender, love and care,” Perks said with a laugh. “And it’s not just about the contract,” she added. “We now have this voice to speak up for patient care and we’re able to have conversations with management regarding any kinds of procedures or implementations that will affect how we deliver care to our patients. You get these people at their most vulnerable, and they and their families trust you with their lives. The least we can do is give them the best care that we can.” n
MANILA — Some 300 Filipinos have been evacuated while five lost their homes as bushfires worsened in Australia, an official of the Philippine embassy in Canberra said. In an interview over dzMM, Consul General Aian Caringal said the evacuations were precautionary measures after two houses owned by Filipinos were damaged by bushfire. He said the 300 Filipinos are being attended to by the local government and have been given temporary housing and emergency relief. The Filipinos, residing in East Gippsland, Victoria, were evacuated to the nearby city of Bairnsdale. Caringal said there are around 300,000 Filipinos in Australia, 75,000 of them workers and students. The rest are permanent migrants. “During bushfire season, the local government has contingencies in place,” he said. “We just need to coor-
dinate with them. It’s more in coordination with local authorities and Filipino communities.” Record-breaking temperatures and months of severe drought have fuelled a series of massive bushfires across Australia. The embassy, in coordination with the Philippine consulates in Sydney and Philippine honorary consulates in Melbourne and Adelaide, is closely monitoring the bushfire emergencies in parts of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. It said everyone is advised to follow the instructions of their local authorities and to take all necessary precautions and recommended actions. Malacañang is moving to ensure the safety of Filipinos in Australia who are residing in areas affected by bushfires. ?“Our government is implementing measures to ensure that our countrymen are safe from the conflagration,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said at a press
briefing on Monday, January 6. More than five million hectares of land have been affected by the bushfires, according to earlier reports. Prayers The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday urged Filipinos to pray for God to put out the bushfires. CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Laity (ECL) chairman Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the blaze, if not put under control, could indicate that man is helpless against nature’s wrath. It should also serve as an eye-opener on the effects of climate change. Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos said the local diocese has offered prayers in solidarity with the Australians. “In solidarity of the Diocese of Balanga to Australia, we have this prayer being recited in the diocese. The Diocese of Balanga did pastoral visitation in 2016 to the Bataeños residing in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney,” he said. n
january 10-16, 2020 • nEW yOrK anD nEW jErSEy aSIan jOurnaL
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Navigating the new year and new decade...
THREE KINGS. The three wise men -- Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar – during the reenactment of the annual tradition held at the Casino Español De Manila in San Marcelino St. on Sunday, January 5. In the story of the Bible, the three kings brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh after the birth of Jesus Christ. PNA Photo by Avito C. Dalan
‘Pray that nobody will be interested,’ Duterte tells Manila Water, Maynilad by Krissy
AguilAr Inquirer.net
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, January 8, said the two metro water concessionaires should just accept the new contracts being prepared by government, or “pray that nobody will be interested.” In his speech at the oath-taking of newly appointed officials, Duterte once more said that he will make good his promise to send a “billionaire” behind bars, apparently referring to the owners of the beleaguered Manila Water and Maynilad companies, if they will not accept the new water contracts without the alleged “onerous” provisions.
“So tanggapin ninyo ‘yan (just accept it). Pray that nobody will be interested because I will really if somebody — if I decide to go after you, I will see to it that a billionaire goes to prison,” he said. Duterte had earlier slammed Maynilad and Manila Water for allegedly milking billions from their consumers and the government since the signing of the 1997 concession deals. The president also previously endorsed a Villar-owned water firm as a possible replacement should the two firms fail to come to terms with the government. “That (1997) contract was never shown to the public. It was kept out, and suddenly we have a liability,” Duterte said.
“Because if we fail to ratify the rise of the rates at their bidding, they incur losses day-by-day and we have to pay. Ang mga p****** i** nila. Lahat kayong mga p***** i** ninyo. Harap-harapan kayo magnakaw (you are stealing blatantly),” he added. Duterte earlier warned the two water companies to accept the new deals without the “onerous” provisions or their contracts will be canceled. The president also said the water distribution service will be nationalized should the water firms reject the new contract. There is no guarantee, however, that the water concessionaires will not be prosecuted for the original contracts, he said. n
ing the improvement of peace and order to the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign. “It is these people themselves who are now saying that the drug pushers and users, who used to be neighborhood toughies, are now scared,” Eleazar, former chief of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said. Under the Department of the Interior and Local Government records, the crime volume in the Philippines decreased by 11 percent from 488,644 cases from July 2017 to June 2018 to 438,496 cases from July 2018 to June 2019. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año previously said the decline in crime volume could be attributed to the active cooperation between the national government, local government units, citizens, and stakeholders.
Under NCRPO records, crimes against persons — including murder, homicide, physical injury, and rape — stood at 18,184 incidents from July 2016 to Sept. 26, 2019. With this, the crime rate in Metro Manila declined by 17,652 incidents than the 35,836 crimes against persons from April 2013 to June 2016 under the Aquino administration. Eleazar stressed that it was “unfair” not to indicate the effect of the government’s bloody drug war on peace and order as people already experience safer streets. “It is unfair not to include the impact of the drug war on peace and order because it is the people in the community who experience and witness the improvement in peace and order due to our campaign against illegal drugs,” Eleazar said. n
Drop in crime rate proves gov’t ‘winning’ drug war – PNP by Consuelo
MArquez
Inquirer.net
MANILA — The continued decrease in crime rate under the Duterte administration is “proof” that the Duterte administration is “winning” its crackdown on illegal drugs, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the head of Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorial Staff, said on Wednesday, January 8. “We have been on the right path in the campaign against illegal drugs because the consistent decline in crime means continuous improvement in peace and order,” Eleazar said in a statement sent to reporters in response to Vice President Leni Robredo, who called the drug war as a “massive failure.” Eleazar noted that communities in barangays were attribut-
PAGE 5 earthquakes, and other natural disasters triggered by extreme climate change, threatening the lives and livelihood of mankind and the life of living things in the planet, and yet we see people in power denying and concealing even more scientific proofs of the climate crisis because they worship money and prioritize their immediate self-interest instead of investing in the lives of the next generations. AMID ALL THESE CHALLENGES, do not lose your faith. In both our personal lives and in what is going on around the nation and the world, know that we are not helpless. Before we allow ourselves to be weary and depressed, we need to remember and make a list of the blessings we still have — our lives, our family, our job, opportunities, and choices we can still make to change a situation we are not happy about. When we wake up every morning, we are reminded that this is another day to start again. Another day to smooth-
en our rough edges, make our crooked paths straight, and use our God-given talent to make our dreams come true. I know how daunting it is to look at the hurdles we need to face because a lot of them are beyond our control. But then again, we need to focus on what we have control over, on what we can do right here and right now. Break down your goals to yearly, monthly, weekly and then daily plans and “to do list.” Really focus on what you can do, without waiting for others to act because that will just paralyze you. Every morning aspire to be the change you want to see in the world because the truth is, that is the only thing you can work on — your self. Choosing to do the right thing even when others do not. Do it faithfully and dutifully every day, giving your best even when it is difficult. Believe that what you do your self will have an effect on others, and will inspire and move them to work on themselves, and this
will trigger a domino effect. And remember the “Lord’s Prayer” that says “give us this day our daily bread…” Have faith that the Lord our God will give us all the grace we need for each day, for tomorrow will be another day, another grace awaits. Do not let the fears or worries of tomorrow keep you from fulfilling what you are entrusted to do for today. The past is gone, we cannot do anything about it. Today is our gift, make the most of it for it will be the foundation of our future. Today is all that we sure have to work on. HAPPY NEW YEAR! May all that we do each new day we are gifted with, move to the direction of our prayers. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
Duterte drops US visit as visa row heats...
PAGE 5 ing, solid waste management, flooded streets, lack of streetlights, unregulated karaoke singing, drugs and crime, poor or tardy delivery of public services) are within the collective local competence and efficacy of citizens. How might such future local community problem-solving exercises be undertaken? The work of the Innovations at the Base of the Pyramid in Southeast Asia (iBoP Asia) team I headed at the Ateneo School of Government in 2013 is a good template. The project was undertaken for Metro Manila, using five informal communities as focal areas for drawing informal community participants — central (Welfareville in Mandaluyong), north (Barangay Doña Imelda, Quezon City), east (Banaba, Sto Niño, San Mateo), west (Estero de San Miguel, Manila), and south (Manggahan, Pasig City). This project, the “Informal City Dialogues,” was a six-city project which the Rockefeller Foundation, on its centennial year, launched covering Accra in Ghana, Bangkok in Thailand, Chennai in India, Lima in Peru and Metro Manila in the Philippines. The project sought to understand the relationship between the formal and informal in our cities to envision a different, more inclusive and resilient future. To acquire deep and mean-
ingful insights, the study sought to engage a diverse group of citizens representing public, private, civic, industry, nonprofits, local philanthropies, workers, street vendors, urban poor groups, academe, women and youth to formulate scenarios for the future of the city. The ultimate goal was to surface and encourage innovative solutions that will help cities build on the strengths of the informal city. The whole process took two days of futures mapping, and two days of innovative community problem-solving workshops participated in by almost a hundred participants. These workshops were additionally preceded by preworkshop community mapping workshops. There is a certain level of system and methodology that must be used to make these exercises fruitful. The Scenarios Visioning Process used develops in the participants the realization that while we are unable to predict a single, specific future, we can conjure, anticipate and prepare for multiple, possible futures. Futures mapping enables us to imagine what changes might take place in the coming decades and use those scenarios to guide strategies. Through futures mapping we can imagine what tomorrow might bring, inducing greater foresight in us today.
Scenarios are not predictions; they are best understood as plausible, coherent and challenging descriptions of possible future worlds. They can help understand the shape and impacts of global trends, and inspire organizations or groups of people develop better strategies, and spur solutions — new products, services and processes — to respond to collective problems and needs. In the Informal City Dialogues futures mapping workshop undertaken for Metro Manila in 2013, four scenarios were formulated based on what the workshop considered to be the most important drivers that were also the most uncertain over the period 2013-2040. These two drivers are population growth (slow or fast) and urban planning (effective or ineffective). See the scenarios here: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/report/the-informal-city-reader/). Futures mapping is a strategic way of renewing purposive civic participation at the local community level. It is a mechanism for awakening self-help, mutual help, and institutional help to anticipate and solve future community problems. This is one way to reverse the observation, “Filipinos have strategies for individual and family survival, but no strategy for national survival.” (Inquirer.net)
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COMMUNITY Journal
Bahala na Mother took her tiMe in petitioning her Makulit daughter. nanay rosita (2nd from right) went to the u.S. in 1984, leaving behind her children. It was in 1994 when she finally got her green card, and she was able to get all her children, except for Apet (left) who aged out at that time. Nanay became busy juggling two jobs, so she kept putting off the petition for Apet, even when Apet kept hounding her mother. At Apet’s urging, Nanay finally reached out to leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) in 2005 to consult and sign up, but it took Nanay another two years before she completed the forms and sent the necessary documents. Meanwhile, Apet was anxious and wanted to expedite the process, so she wrote to the National Visa Center (NVC) without the knowledge of the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel, when the visa was not even available, creating confusion with the NVC. After follow-ups and monitoring by Atty. Gurfinkel and his team, they were able to reunite Apet and Nanay Rosita in the US, and were also able to bring in Apet’s daughters, Tracy and Nicole (2nd from left). Watch this family reunion, years in the making, on a brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY – on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
Changing visa categories and priority dates Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ WHEN a petition is filed for a family member, the beneficiary (the person being petitioned) is assigned
a “priority date,” which is their “place in line” for a visa. They can apply for their immigrant visa or green card only when their priority date is current (or visa is available), which can take many, many years. Some people mistakenly believe that the circumstances that existed at the time the petition is filed should apply throughout the
entire process. For example, if they were petitioned as single, but later got married, they should still be processed as single. If they were under 21 when the petition was filed, but later aged out, they should still be considered a minor. If the petitioner was alive when the petition was filed but later died, they should still PAGE 12
DOT promotes sustainable local tourism with new #SaveOurSpots online GIFs MANILA – Following the “Ayoko sa plastic” viber stickers, the Department of Tourism (DOT) starts the New Year by promoting sustainable local tourism with the newly released #SaveOurSpots GIFs on Instagram. The newly released artworks primarily include the #SaveOurSpots frame, daily Filipino conversation lines, responsible tourist badge and many more to encourage mindful traveling around the Philippines. Tourists can also join the fun in geolocation tagging their local travel posts when visiting Anilao in
Batangas, Baguio City, Bohol, Boracay Island, Coron in Palawan, Donsol in Sorsogon, La Union, Luneta or Rizal Park, Panglao Island, Puerto Galera, Sagada in Mountain Province, Siargao, and Vigan in Ilocos. DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat highlighted, “We first rolled out this campaign by showing simple yet impactful acts towards environmentalism and patriotism, by respecting cultures and managing wastes. This time around, we are encouraging travelers to promote and preserve our local tourist spots.” The DOT also takes ad-
vantage of the one billion active Instagram users worldwide, where over 10 million Filipinos share a part of, for this campaign to promote domestic tourism internationally. To take part on this worthwhile fun, tourists should click on the GIF button on Instagram Stories and type in “sustainable tourism,” then choose the appropriate GIFs for the post before sending it out. The DOT urges every Filipino tourist to use the GIFs to help raise awareness on sustainable local tourism, because collectively, it can go a long way.
NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 10-16, 2020
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January 10-16, 2020 • nEW yOrK anD nEW JErSEy aSIan JOurnaL
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA THE ability to get things done remains a critical survival skill. At a certain point, the planning phase has to give way to actually rolling up one’s sleeves, putting one’s shoulder to the wheel and focusing on fleshing out the details and tweaking the final output. It is ironic but it has often been said that if you want anything done, give it to a busy person. That may very well be true, but only up to a point. One’s carrying capacity can be maxed out. The truth is that anyone who is both efficient and effective has mastered many times by trial and error over some length of time that fine blend of mixing the art and science of planning his work and working his plan. How? By thinking things through, prioritizing, sequencing and when necessary, improvising to stay within timetables and resources, one can really get things done. By keeping a laser-like focus on the goal, the motivated doer can move mountains. Nowhere is this life skill more put to the test than here in America where a person’s worth, whether we like it or not, is measured by his productivity, his creativity, and ultimately, his results. It is a skill needed to navigate a person’s dayto-day life. The unprecedented major strides in technology have enhanced man’s capability to multi-task. Picture the modern version of Everyman running on a treadmill fulfilling multiple roles. No matter how much you want to buck the system, there is no way you can get around the fact that in order to thrive, let alone survive at this time and in this place, the life skills one needs to acquire and develop some level of competence in, are in the areas of planning the work and working the plan. You know what a delight it is to work on a project that has been well conceived and well planned. And when a plan comes together in seamless fashion, everything is as smooth as silk.
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The secret of getting Lessons learned: Family should always come first on a brand-new things done “O Lord, Thou givest us everything, at the price of an effort. - Leonardo da Vinci On the flip side of the coin, you know how aggravating it is to be involved in one that is a mess from the beginning conceived by one who seems to be running around like a headless chicken. History bears out that most of the great leaders of all time, whether in politics, in industry and in business are supreme planners. And contrary to common belief, these planners see the big picture but do not feel that it is beneath them to roll up their sleeves and work on the nitty-gritty themselves. Even God paints his canvass in broad brush strokes and is not beyond minding, knowing and working on the tiniest details. Picture the vastness of the universe and the delicate, amazing intricacy of man’s DNA. Planning helps you to see the goal very clearly. Planning makes it possible to signal your intentions to others so adjustments can be made in the early stages of the project. In freeway driving, it is not only courteous to signal your intention when changing lanes to let other drivers either speed up or slow down to make room for your move, it is the safe and prudent thing to do. Planning, like your left and right turn signals on your car, is a communication tool that gets feedback from within the team. Henry Ford, whose assembly-line technique revolutionized production methods once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.” As you flesh out the details of a project, the number of sub-tasks and the sequence with which these smaller tasks need to be done becomes clearer. Assigning who does what further breaks down the job to smaller and manageable bite sizes. Of course as the overseer, your task is to monitor progress of each component of the project and
see that each one contributes to the overall goal. Ultimately, the value of planning brings you full circle as it helps you stay focused on the goal and get the job done on time and within budget. Here’s a caveat. Lest we think that planning is foolproof, remember that “… the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Even with all the seemingly perfect planning that scientists at NASA do and even with the use of cutting edge technology, the agency still experiences monumental failures — from time to time. Things may not work out as planned — perhaps, to keep humanity’s hubris in check and keep us humble and realize our puny stature in the cosmic scheme of things. That way, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. There are absolutely no guarantees that something will work out because of a great plan. In some cases, there will be flukes, curveballs, unpredictable factors and totally unforeseen circumstances that will prevent something from happening. When things don’t work out as planned, ACCEPT IT. Perhaps, there is a much better plan, most probably from a Higher Authority who knows better. However,Yet time and time again it has been proven that unless mighty cosmic forces are conspiring against something from happening, chances are stacked heavily towards transforming an idea to reality because of the simple act of planning and tenaciously working the plan. May the plans you have to create good blessings for yourself and others for 2020 and beyond come true. May the good you do make you happy! *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com.
episode of Citizen Pinoy!
NANAY Rosita left her children in 1984 to find greener pastures in the U.S. She took various jobs while she was TnT, until she finally got her green card in 1994. She then was able to petition her younger children, but was unable to bring her older daughter, Apet, to the U.S, as she had already aged out. Apet was devastated and kept asking her mother when she can follow, to start working on the petition for her. But work kept Nanay Rosita busy, so she kept postponing. Finally, after much prodding from Apet, Nanay Rosita reached out to leading
U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel and retained him in 2005. However, Nanay was not able to fill out the necessary forms and send in the required documents because she was busy juggling two jobs until 2007 when she finally filed the petition. Meanwhile, Apet was getting anxious through the years, and in 2017 when it was getting close to her priority date, she joined a Facebook ® chat group that where people were giving her advice, and she even wrote the National Visa Center without consulting with the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel
whom they have retained as their legal counsel. Atty. Gurfinkel emphasizes that nothing is more important than family and he reiterates that, “There’s always an excuse not to do something, but when it comes to your family, forget the excuses and do something. See an attorney who can evaluate the case and see what the options are.” Watch how the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel was able to reunite the family on a brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY – this Sunday 6:15 pm PST/ EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)
Changing visa categories...
PAGE 11 be entitled to a visa without humanitarian revalidation, since the petition was filed while the petition was alive. This viewpoint is not correct. It is not the circumstances that existed when the petition was filed that apply to a person’s petition or case, but instead the circumstances that exist when the visa becomes available. If there are certain changes or developments, it could result in their petition being reclassified into a different category and either make the waiting time for a visa faster or longer. The following are some changes in circumstances that could affect a person’s visa category and/or priority date: • F-1 petition (single child of U.S. citizen) converts to F-3 (married child of U.S. citizen) upon the beneficiary’s marriage, and they are subject to the F-3 priority dates. • F-3 petition converts it to F-1 upon the termination of the beneficiary’s marriage (by divorce, annulment, death of spouse, etc.), and the beneficiary is subject to the F-1 priority dates, which are much faster. (I have previously written articles that if a person is under an F-3 petition but their marriage is effectively “over,” because their spouse abandon them, disappeared, or there’s no more love, they may want to consider terminating the marriage rather
than staying in the longer F-3 category. • Immediate relative petition of minor child of U.S. citizen (IR) converts to F-3 if the child marries before their visa is issued. • F-2B petition (single adult child of green card holder parent) is automatically void and terminated if the beneficiary marries before the petitioner naturalizes or visa is issued. It does not matter that the beneficiary was “single” when the petition was filed. If they get married before visa issuance (or before the petitioner naturalized), the petition becomes void as of their wedding day. If the F2B beneficiary marries after the petitioner naturalizes, the petition converts to F-3. • Unless eligible for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), minor child who turns 21 years of age (ages out), results in an IR child converting to F1 (unless he was under 21 years of age when the petition was filed) , F-2A converting to F-2B, or a derivative beneficiary falling off their parent’s petition. • Naturalization of the petitioner results in an F-2A petition converting to IR (if the beneficiary is still under 21 years of age), or an F-2B petition converting to F-1 (unless the beneficiary elects to remain in the F-2B category). I realize the laws concerning visa categories, conversion of petitions, and priority
dates can be very complex and confusing. If there have been any changes in a person’s circumstances that may affect the waiting time on their visa, they may want to consider consulting with an immigration attorney, who can evaluate their case and determine if they are in the proper visa category and/or eligible for a faster visa category. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/ GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 10-16, 2020
Security dangers and tips Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS Credit card/identity fraud Did your credit card data just get stolen while your card was in your purse or wallet? Yes, today’s technology in the hands of thieves makes it very easy for them to steal your personal data, even your identity, without opening your purse or wallet by simply coming close to you, usually within an inch or less. Their tool: a card reader, similar to what stores use, where you swipe or insert your credit card to pay. The reader is in a gadget like an iPad or tablet, hidden in a thin case, which thieves hold close to you or bump onto you to “read” your card or passport data, or any item with a bard code. Identity theft causes a devastating nightmare and a severe emotional trauma, besides potential financial ruin. Tip: Instead of paying for RFID pockets to protect your
EMPLOYMENT
cards, you can simply use regular aluminum foil in your kitchen. Fold it about 4 layers, the same size of your cards or passport, and place one on either side, sandwiching the cards. Or make an aluminum pouch for them. Your Car Remote: Unsafe? Criminals are now able to easily open car doors you close using your remote car key. When you click your remote key fob to open or close your car doors, there is a distinct electronic sound frequency – RF signal between 315 to 390 MHz – that is transmitted from your remote to your car security system to turn on or turn off the door (and trunk) lock. High tech criminals are now able to find the correct frequency through their “code grabbers” that could record and re-transmit a signal to open your vehicle door. A friend of mine, who is a security freak, lost all the gifts she bought and stored in the trunk of her car while she did some more shopping. Apparently, a thief nearby in the parking lot used a code grabber to gain entry into her Mercedes.
Tip: For decades, about five years since the car remote was introduced and when my research about electronic fraud and scams revealed the vulnerability of RF signals for lock systems, my wife and I have been opening and locking our car doors manually… the safer, old-fashioned way. This has been a habit, a second nature for us to this day. And the painful experience of our friend reinforced our practice. Garage doors also a target! Thieves are also utilizing the same modern technology – code grabber or RF signal copier – to open garage doors. In spite of the 12 DIP pins system that gives each garage opener unit a unique code, somehow these hightech robbers are still able to outsmart this security system. Tip: It is impractical and inconvenient to always turn OFF the main electric switch of the garage door system after driving the car outside and then exiting through the front door, and doing the exact opposite routine (going thru the front door and
EMPLOYMENT
switching ON the garage opener upon return, etc.). Connecting your garage door opener to a wireless (cellular) Smart Switch Outlet and controlling the opener with your smart phone is an alternative. The other option is to include your garage in your monitored home security system. A regular key or keypad mounted outside the garage door does not prevent any thief with a code grabber from opening your garage door. Gifts stolen at your front door This holiday season alone, news about stolen Christmas gifts due to parcels just left by the delivery man at the front door or by the gate are common. Some of these instances were even caught on security cameras. Many thieves are not thinking and are stupid; come to think of it, they are stupid and crooked which is the reason why they steal in the first place. Surveillance cameras are now widely used. And they are now reasonably-priced, with countless wireless versions and brands (used with your phone apps for monitoring even while you are in another country) costing less than $100.
Tip: Many online store and shipping companies now accept preferences for delivery options for security. For one, I instruct Amazon.com, UPS, USPS, FEDEX personnel to go through our gate and place packages by our front door, which has an active WiFi security camera plus Ring doorbell, both of which video-tape all motion detected and send me notification instantly on my cell phone 24/7. Amazon, for one, provides the option (if you request it) for its delivery staff to enter your front door to place the parcels inside your home, with your special “extra” code to your security alarm and keyless door entry). Privacy is, of course, a concern. One other option is to have a large mail chute by your garage door, or for someone to be home to receive the packages, which is the safest. Shooting a home intruder? When an intruder breaks into your home or threatens your life, do you have a legal right to shoot? Here’s what legal experts at Wikipedia say: “A stand-your-ground law (sometimes called ‘line in the sand’ or ‘no duty to retreat’ law) establishes a right by which a person may
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defend one’s self or others (right of self-defense) against threats or perceived threats, even to the point of applying lethal force, regardless of whether safely retreating from the situation might have been possible. Such a law typically states that an individual has no duty to retreat from any place where they have a lawful right to be (though this varies from state to state) and that they may use any level of force if they reasonably believe the threat rises to the level of being an imminent and immediate threat of serious bodily harm and/or death. “The castle doctrine is a common law doctrine stating that persons have no “duty to retreat in their home, or “castle,” and may use reasonable force, including deadly force, to defend their property, person, or another. Outside of the abode, however, a person has a duty to retreat, if possible, before using deadly force. Castle doctrine and “standyour-ground” laws are acceptable defenses for people who have been charged with criminal homicide. “At common law, self-defense claims are not valid if the defendant could have PAGE 15
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JANUARY 10-16, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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Amatorio sworn in as Bergenfield Mayor Borough makes history with two other Filipinos in the council
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by
MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPress
ERGENFIELD, NJ — The Filipino American community in the eastern seaboard has another reason to be proud as lawyer Arvin Amatorio took his oath as the new mayor of Bergenfield, a borough in Bergen Country roughly 13 miles from New York City. Mayor Amatorio’s historic swearing-in ceremony happened Sunday afternoon at the Bergenfield Borough Hall Council Chambers. Councilmembers Ora Kornbluth and Salvador “Buddy” Deauna, along with Amatorio ran together as a slate and were elected together last November. The 48 year old lawyer originally from Baler, Quezon began his political career five years ago when he ran for the council. He sought reelection after finishing his first term and with a year to go before his second term was supposed to end, he decided to run for mayor. With his seat now vacant, the new members of the council appointed Filipino American businessman Marc Pascual to serve the remaining one year on Amatorio’s original Council term.
Pascual’s appointment makes him the third Fil Am on the borough council, a first in the history of the borough formed in 1894. Amatorio is the second Bergenfield mayor of Filipino descent after Robert Rivas who served from 2000 to 2002. “I would like to extend my appreciation and gratitude to all our kababayans here who have been instrumental in our victory, not just during the campaign but also during my time as councilman,” Amatorio said. “Nagpapasalamat ako sa kanila at sana patuloy ninyo akong suportahan para ikarangal natin ang lahing Pilipino.” Dozens of local elected officials were on hand for the historic event, including State Senator Joe Lagana, Congressman Josh Gottheimer, f o r m e r Bergenfield Mayor Robert Rivas, former Bergen-
Bergenfield Mayor Arvin Amatorio (seated, second from left) with members of the council and other borough officials led by (seated, from left) Borough Attorney John Schettino, Mayor Amatorio, Borough Administrator Corey Gallo, and Borough Clerk Marie Quinones along with the members of the council (standing, from left) Salvador “Buddy” Deauna, Rafael Marte, Thomas Lodato, Ora Kornbluth, Marc Pascual and Hernando Rivera.
Mayor Arvin Amatorio thanked his wife Ilya and sons Lance and Andrew after he was sworn-in by New Jersey State Senator Joe Lagana.
field Mayor Carlos Aguasvivas, Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes, Tenafly Mayor Mark Zinna and Palisades Park Mayor Chris Chung. Fellow elected Filipinos in the state, Jersey City Councilman Rolando Lavarro and Mahwah Councilman Jonathan Wong also attended the ceremony. “Despite the roughness and the contentiousness of the campaign, we prevailed, because truth prevails. The people did not believe the lies, they believed on what we have done. Our record speaks for itself so it means that we have the trust, confidence and backing of our people,” Amatorio said. “I am so honored to be your Mayor, and want to Mayor Arvin Amatorio
thank you all for being here on this historic day. During our campaign, I met with over 10,000 residents directly at their doors, and appreciate them sharing their vision for a better Bergenfield with me. I pledge to always work in the best interests of residents, and all my efforts will be shaped by feedback from the public,” Amatorio said in his speech, as the city council meeting drew to an end. The new mayor turned a little emotional and choked for a bit midway through his speech when he thanked his family, particularly his wife Ilya, their two sons Lance and Andrew and his parents Librado and Sonia who were both public school teachers. “To my parents who were both public school teachers, I owe them everything, they instilled in me the value of public service. They are no longer here with us, my mother passed away not so PAGE 15
Former Bergenfield Mayor Robert Rivas led the swearing-in of Salvador Deauna, who got reelected for his second term last November. AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya
Salvador “Buddy” Deauna and Marc Pascual, two of the Bergenfield council members who are of Filipino descent.
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Joshua praised for donating to Australia bushfire fundraiser By Ratziel
San Juan Philstar.com
ACTOR Joshua Garcia has been applauded by fans for pledging $500 (around P25,000) to the fundraiser of Paulo Avelino’s girlfriend Jodie Tarasek for wildlife affected by the Australian bushfires. The proceeds of the said fundraiser will be directed to the WWF-Australia in order to help injured wildlife and restore their habitats. An estimated one billion animals have been killed in the months-long bushfires that have ravaged Australia, said to be heightened recently by climate change. Jodie and boyfriend Paulo both publicly thanked Joshua for his donation. Without publicizing his act, Joshua proved he’s just as much an onscreen and offscreen hero. The actor plays the lead role alongside Julia Barretto in the upcoming zombie film
V. Guno
Inquirer.net
Joshua Garcia
“Block Z,” set to hit theaters nationwide on January 29. The zombie flick is helmed by “Dead Kids” director
Photo from Instagram/@garciajoshuae
Mikhail Red and also stars Dimples Romana, Ian Veneracion, and Maris Racal, among other talents.
By Ratziel
San Juan Philstar.com
“Shooting day with Janine Gutierrez,” reads the photo posted by Paulo’s official Facebook account on Monday, January 6. Photo courtesy of T-Rex Entertainment
crossover project was announced by indie film company T-Rex Entertainment in July. Fans seem to have guessed correctly since TRex later shared Paulo’s post with the caption: “Hi, AM/PM! Kailan ulit ang gig ninyo? #IfWeDontMakeIt.” The film is directed by
Prime Cruz, who brought audiences to tears with the likes of “Isa Pa With Feelings” last year and “Sleepless” in 2015. Based on what we’ve seen, the much-anticipated Paulo and Janine feature will be the latest hugot-genre film to assault moviegoers’ feelings.
Security dangers and tips...
PAGE 13 safely retreated from danger (duty to retreat). The castle doctrine is an exception to this. It gives immunity from liability to individuals who acted in self-defense in the home even if they could have safely retreated from the threat and failed to do so. The duty to retreat is a legal requirement in some jurisdictions – that a threatened person cannot stand one’s ground and apply
Ai-Ai against same-sex marriage, declines attending gay friends’ weddings By niña
Paulo posts BTS picture with Janine A BEHIND the scenes photo of a movie project with Kapamilya actor Paulo Avelino and Kapuso actress Janine Gutierrez is making rounds on social media. “Shooting day with Janine Gutierrez,” reads the photo posted by Paulo’s official Facebook account on Monday, January 6. Fans speculated that the shooting photo is from the “If We Don’t Make It” film set to be released this year. “[A] story about two people who are more than friends but less than lovers,” the Kapuso-Kapamilya
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lethal force in self-defense, but must retreat to a place of safety instead. Deadly force or lethal force is force with the intent of serious bodily injury or death to another person. In most jurisdictions it is only accepted under conditions of extreme necessity and last resort.” Tip: As we usher in the new year, let’s all stand our ground for world peace and shoot for global understanding, love,
and compassion among all nations and our fellow earthlings. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com
ACTRESS and comedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas opened up about her views on same-sex marriage, stating that she supports samesex relationships but not gay marriage. “OK lang sa akin ang magmahalan, same-sex. Pag-ibig ‘yon eh,” Delas Alas, a devout Catholic, said at a press conference for her upcoming movie “D’Ninang.” A clip of her response is posted on YouTube channel Rider PH Studios. “Pero ‘di ba nasa Bibliya ‘yon, na ang babae para sa lalaki, ang lalaki para sa babae.” (I am OK with loving someone of the same sex. That is love. But isn’t it in the Bible that a woman is for a man, and a man for a woman.) “Wala akong against sa pagmamahalan ng samesex, oo naman siyempre, nadaanan ko lahat ‘yan,” she said. (I have nothing against same-sex love, of course, I went through all that.) She also mentioned that she has several gay friends, but does not attend their weddings when they invite
Ai-Ai delas Alas
her. “Umo-oo ako pero hindi ako uma-attend,” she admitted. “‘Di ako naniniwala diyan, pero mahal ko kayo kaya eto ang pakimkim, ito ang chorva.” (I say yes, but I do not attend. I do not believe in it, but I love you that’s why here is your gift.) The actress’ sentiments come after the Supreme Court denied with finality a petition to recognize same-
GMA photo
sex marriage in the Philippines on Monday, Jan. 6. Delas Alas lauded the Supreme Court’s decision on her Instagram. Thirty countries and territories—mostly in Europe and the Americas—have national laws on same-sex marriage, as per American think tank Pew Research Center in October 2019. Taiwan is the only state in Asia that has legalized same-sex marriage.
Amatorio sworn in... PAGE 14 long ago, during the start of our campaign last year. She was proud and excited to see that it was possible for her son to be a mayor of a town in America, a privilege given only to a few,” he said. Amatorio and his wife moved to the United States in 2002 and he has been practicing immigration law since 2006, when he passed the New York Bar. “Those darkest moments were really tough. When they tried to tarnish my name, they were not just tarnishing my name but the good name of my family and the future of my kids,” he shared with us later. “My mother was very engaged when we started the campaign and it is unfortunate that she never saw this day. That was why I got
emotional.” Bergenfield has been called as Bergen County’s Little Manila and Filipinos are the biggest ethnic group in the borough. According to Census’s American Community Survey in 2017, there are about 5,347 Bergenfield residents of Filipino ancestry, representing about 2.8% of the entire population of about 27,513. As a councilmember, Amatorio served as the council’s Finance Committee Chairman, where he drafted the past two municipal budgets with 0% local tax increases. “My main priorities as mayor will be taxes and infrastructure. I also want to invest big on our youth so sports programs and sports facilities and they will come along the way,” he said. “I will work with
the DPW, my colleagues in the council, and of course residents to identify which roads require an immediate repair and construct a plan to make sure we address these issues because Bergenfield residents deserve to feel safe in our neighborhoods.” The new mayor is also looking forward to begin plans to construct a new Borough Hall, that is energy-efficient and “will better serve residents for at least 100 years.” Congressman Josh Gottheimer said he believes Bergenfield is in great hands with Amatorio because he will “keep Bergenfield taxes stable, improve our infrastructure, renovate our parks, and continue to revitalize the community and attract new businesses.”
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January 10-16, 2020 • nEW yOrK anD nEW JErSEy aSIan JOurnaL
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